Before telling you how to install this theme I need to also tell you something about the sound files that go with it.
The sound files for this theme and for the screensaver to the theme have been saved as MPEG Layer-3, 56kBit/s, 22050 Hz, Stereo. To hear the sound files you need to have installed software which recognises this sound format. If you don't have this software, this is not a problem; just go to http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/netshow20/05000.htm and download the Microsoft Netshow 2.0 Player. You'll know immediately whether or not you have the proper MPEG Layer-3 sound format support installed on your system because, if you do, all the associated theme sounds (the menu command, and so on) will play when you use the theme. For more information about this I would strongly suggest you go visit the theme doctor at http://thethemedoctor.vservers.com/indexj.htm and have a look at the FAQ which comes under the heading "Emergency" on the java navigation bar and under "Questions & Answers" on the Site Categories listing on his site. (Don't let the heading "Emergency" worry you, it's just what the theme doctor prefers to call Frequently Asked Questions.)
Now, How to Install this Theme
Simply click on the self-extracting zip archive labelled AlienR and you will be prompted to unzip all contents to the C:\ of your computer. This is because all of the theme's components have been zipped up from their proper locations in the plus!\themes directory, so when the files are unzipped to the C:\ they go to these locations. A folder called Alien R will be created in your C:\program files\plus!\themes directory. This folder contains all the components of the theme (icons, cursors, etc.)
Four separate theme files referencing 2 Windows 98 and Windows 95 themes will be created directly in your themes directory. There are two files for each version of windows because each file references separate theme components (wallpaper, cursors and icons).
Just double click on whichever theme file is appropriate for your version of windows and the theme is activated. From within Desktop Themes choose apply and ok to use the theme.
A true colour (24 bit) display setting will showcase the backgrounds best. At high colour (16 bit) you may notice some bleeding effect in the Wallpaper for the Alien R theme.
To install the screensaver, go to your c:\program files\plus!\themes\Alien R \ Screensaver folder and double click on Alien4.exe - this will install the screensaver. If you later want to remove the screensaver simply delete the Alien4.scr file in your windows folder and the folder labelled Alien4(containing the data for the screensaver) in the windows\softdisk\sstudio directory.
I created the wallpaper, icons and cursors from various sources on the net. The 3D red cursors, not the busy and wait cursors, were modified from an existing cursor set. I have included the author of the cursor set's readme file in the "cursors" theme folder.
LEGAL STUFF
This theme is not intended to serve a profit making purpose in any way whatsoever and is for free distribution only. The author will not accept any money for the creation or distribution of this theme and no-one is entitled to profit from its distribution.
All materials which make up this theme, such as sounds and images, remain the copyright of their respective owners and not the author.
This theme is an homage to its subject matter but should not reflect on the subject matter's original content.
Microsoft, Netshow, Plus!, Windows, and Desktop Themes are copyrighted to Microsoft.
Now: Have fun and feel free to use the EXTRAS in the Alien R folder to further customise your desktop (I included some extra icons and an animated cursor).
